06 March 2015
Bestway rewards top performers at the Bestway performance Awards
David Howe and Sajid Mahmood are celebrating with their staff after scooping the top two awards at the Bestway Performance Awards for the second successive year.
At a glittering ceremony held yesterday (5th March) at the Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square, almost 500 guests cheered the two general managers as they collected Group Overall Manager of the Year and Group Overall Branch of the Year respectively.
Bestway and Batleys depot staff, managers, suppliers and head office departmental personnel gathered to acknowledge the contribution of individuals within the group who had excelled in 2014 and driven growth in their respective areas.
The Bestway Performance Awards recognises the achievements of Bestway and Batleys staff across a host of sectors including own-label, catering and export sales as well as rewarding staff and departments at head office level. The winners are crowned after scrutiny of a set of selected criteria and detailed input from supplier partners.
David Howe from Bellevue Edinburgh – part of Batleys – walked away with the Overall Manager of the Year said “To have won the award for the second year running is a fantastic recognition of the work that the team at Bellevue has put in over the past year. I am forever telling staff that we have to show consistency and up our game wherever possible as I realise that customers have options when it comes to choosing their wholesaler. At Bellevue we pride ourselves not only on offering the best possible prices and range but also on the level of service and assistance we offer customers.”
Sajid Mahmood was equally delighted with his award of Overall Depot of the Year, “Bestway and Batleys has tremendous managers who every day go that extra mile for customers. To win the top accolade again is overwhelming and a testament to the work and dedication put in by staff in our Manchester depot. In wholesale, selling boxes is no longer enough – we have to sell ourselves and the offer we provide to customers, particularly in the north-west which is a highly competitive area. This award will spur my team and me on to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of both our customers and be the wholesaler of choice in the north-west.”
Zameer Choudrey Bestway Group Chief Executive commented: “David, Sajid and all the other winners are excellent examples of the talent pool we have within the business. I and my fellow directors are extremely grateful to them – and indeed to all our staff – who continue to make sure that Bestway and Batleys depots lead from the front in terms of customer service and engagement and realise our mission of building business for independents. We trade in a business where good people are the most valuable commodity of them all. The BPA’s are incredibly important to us as it offers us an opportunity to recognise those within Bestway and Batleys who have made an outstanding contribution to our success and showcase to our supplier partners the talent that will be driving our mutual businesses in the coming years.”
In addition to internal awards, there were two awards handed out to supplier partners voted for by Bestway depot staff for their commitment and service to the Bestway business. Heineken UK was awarded the Most Innovative Supplier of the Year with Barr Soft Drinks collecting the prize for Overall Supplier of the Year.
Roll of Honour
Group Head Office Employee of the Year
Zahir Fazaldin, Facilities & Property Controller
Group Head Office Department of the Year
Digital Department, presented to Jamil Mohammed, Digital & E-commerce Manager
Group White Pearl Branch of the Year
Batleys Glasgow, presented to Steve Wilkie, General Manager
Group Best-in Branch of the Year
Bestway Aintree, presented to Trupti Patel, General Manager
Group Catering Branch of the Year
Batleys Aberdeen, presented to Steven Young, General Manager
Group Export Depot of the Year
Bestway Abbey Road, presented to Abdul Shakoor
Group Catering Special Achiever’s Award
Billy Rhind, Sales Manager, Bestway Batleys Foodservices
Bestway Branch Manager of the Year
Sarbjit Singh Ubhey, General Manager, Bestway Leicester
Batleys Branch Manager of the Year
Robbie Reid, General Manager, Batleys Newcastle
Group Overall Manager of the Year
David Howe, General Manager, Bellevue, Edinburgh
Bestway Branch of the Year
Bestway Swansea, presented to Aizad Durrani, General Manager
Batleys Branch of the Year
Batleys Cleveland, presented to Dave Bolam, General Manager
Group Overall Branch of the Year
Bestway Manchester, presented to Sajid Mahmood, General Manager
Most Innovative Supplier of the Year
Heineken UK, presented to Dan Robinson, Richard Towe and Rob Bazley
Overall Supplier of the Year
Barr Soft Drinks, presented to Jonathan Kemp and Vinnie Liddar